Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners (Nasdaq:CPRX) announced on Monday positive results from a series of trials for CPP-115, a drug in development for the treatment of epilepsy.

Catalyst said that CPP-115 was found to be significantly safer visually than vigabatrin, the only other known and commercially available comparable treatment.

In a trial with treated rats exposed for 90 days to CPP-115, vigabatrin and placebo, CPP-115 was found to reduce seizures, as evaluated by the National Institute of Health's Anticonvulsant Screening Program, at lower doses than vigabatrin with substantially less retinal damage.

"We are extremely pleased that CPP-115 demonstrated a major improvement in visual safety compared to vigabatrin. The potential risk of peripheral vision loss from vigabatrin has been an important concern among patients and their physicians," said Catalyst CEO Patrick J. McEnany.

During the study, the results also indicated that CPP-115 could be used for drug-related addictions, with effects observed at doses more than 100 times lower than those needed by vigabatrin, the company said.

In addition, the new compound showed that it did not inhibit any key metabolic enzymes in the body, ensuring that there are no unintended side effects.

The company now expects to begin the remaining studies necessary to file an IND in the third quarter of next year.

CPP-115 is the lead compound being developed by Catalyst under its license agreement with Northwestern University.